1 Kwenyuka isithunywa sikaYehova eGiligali, saya eBhokim, sathi, Ndaninyusa eYiputa, ndanizisa kwelo zwe ndafunga kooyihlo ngalo, ndathi, Andiyi kuwaphula umnqophiso wam nani naphakade;
2 ke nina nize ningenzi mnqophiso nabemi beli lizwe; nize nizidilize izibingelelo zabo. Aniliphulaphulanga ke izwi lam. Yintoni na le niyenzileyo?
3 Kananjalo ndathi, Andiyi kubagqogqa phambi kwenu, ukuze babe ziimviko emacaleni enu, oothixo babo babe ngumgibe kuni.
4 Kwathi, sakuwathetha isithunywa sikaYehova la mazwi kubo bonke oonyana bakaSirayeli, basuka abantu baliphakamisa izwi labo, balila.
5 Bayibiza loo ndawo ngokuthi, yiBhokim; babingelela apho kuYehova.
6 Ke kaloku okuya uYoshuwa wabandululayo abantu, baya oonyana bakaSirayeli elowo elifeni lakhe, ukuba balime ilizwe.
7 Abantu bamkhonza uYehova yonke imihla kaYoshuwa, nemihla yonke yamadoda amakhulu awasalelayo kuYoshuwa, abewubonile wonke umsebenzi omkhulu kaYehova, abewenzele amaSirayeli.
8 Wafa ke uYoshuwa unyana kaNun, umkhonzi kaYehova, eminyaka ilikhulu elinashumi-nye ezelwe.
9 Bamngcwabela emdeni welifa lakhe, eTimnata-heres, kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, entla kwentaba yaseGahashe.
10 Sakuba neso sizukulwana sonke sihlanganiselwe kooyise, kwavela sizukulwana simbi emva kwaso, esibe singamazi uYehova, kwanomsebenzi abewenzele amaSirayeli.
11 Oonyana bakaSirayeli benza ububi emehlweni kaYehova, bakhonza ooBhahali.
12 Bamlahla uYehova, uThixo wooyise, owabakhuphayo ezweni lamaYiputa; balandela thixo bambi koothixo bezizwe ezibajikelezileyo, babanqula, bamqumbisa uYehova.
13 Bamlahla ke uYehova, bakhonza uBhahali noAshtaroti.
14 Wavutha ke umsindo kaYehova kumaSirayeli, wawanikela esandleni sabaphangi, bawaphanga. Wathengisa ngawo, wawanikela esandleni seentshaba zawo ngeenxa zonke; akaba saba nakuma phambi kweentshaba zawo.
15 Athi akuphuma esiya naphi, sasuka isandla sikaYehova sawachasa ngobubi, njengoko wakuthethayo uYehova, njengoko wawafungelayo; abandezeleka kunene.
16 UYehova wavelisa abagwebi; bawasindisa esandleni sabaphangi bawo.
17 Akabaphulaphula nabagwebi bawo, asuka ahenyuza ngokulandela thixo bambi, abanqula, atyeka kamsinya endleleni ababehamba ngayo ooyise, yokuphulaphula imithetho kaYehova. Akenjanga njalo ke wona.
18 Naxa uYehova wawavelisela abagwebi, uYehova waba nomgwebi lowo, wawasindisa esandleni seentshaba zawo yonke imihla yomgwebi lowo; ngokuba uYehova wazohlwaya ngenxa yokuncwina kwawo, phambi kwabaxini bawo, ababandezeli bawo.
19 Kwathi, akufa umgwebi lowo, abuya onakalisa ngaphezu kooyise, alandela thixo bambi ngokubakhonza nangokubanqula; akaziyeka iintlondi zawo nendlela yokuba lukhuni kwawo.
20 Wavutha umsindo kaYehova kumaSirayeli; wathi, Ngenxa enokuba olu hlanga luwugqithile umnqophiso wam endawumisela ooyise, alwaliphulaphula ilizwi lam:
21 nam andiyi kuphinda ndithi phambi kwabo ndigqogqe mntu wezi ntlanga, wazishiyayo uYoshuwa ekufeni kwakhe;
22 ukuze ndiwalinge ngazo amaSirayeli, ukuba oyigcina na indlela kaYehova, ahambe ngayo, njengoko bayigcinayo ooyise, akayi kuyigcina, kusini na?
23 Waziyeka ke uYehova ezo ntlanga, akazigqogqa kamsinya, akazinikela esandleni sikaYoshuwa.